Trip from Lorain, OH to Mount Sterling, OH

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 8m

Distance

159.4 mi

257 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$24

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min

4 AM

2h 57m ★

6 AM

3h 9m

8 AM

3h 32m

10 AM

3h 17m

12 PM

3h 15m

3 PM

3h 18m

5 PM

3h 31m

8 PM

3h 2m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time

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Lorain, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Mount Sterling, OH

Shashank Brahmavar

Trip Overview

Lorain, OH to Mount Sterling, OH is 159 miles and takes about 3 hours 8 minutes via I 71, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Midwest, traveling entirely within Ohio. It's a straightforward trip, mostly on the interstate, making it a practical choice for a quick transit. You'll find it easy to navigate, with minimal fuss for a single-day excursion. Consider this if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without much complication.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

79.7 miles from Lorain, OH

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 37m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 71	109 mi	1h 59m
Avon Lake Road	13.1 mi	15m
Harrisburg Pike	10 mi	14m
John F. Kennedy Memorial Parkway	6.6 mi	9m
Avon Belden Road	4.2 mi	4m
Grafton Road	3.8 mi	4m
Lorain Boulevard	2.9 mi	4m
East 28th Street	2.3 mi	3m

Longest stretch: I 71 — 109 mi, about 1h 59m

Traffic on I-71

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 102 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,106 veh/hr typical · worst 2,828

Quietest

2 AM

~226 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

9.3×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 51 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lorain, OH and Mount Sterling, OH.

Start on Hamilton Avenue

0.1 mi · 37 sec · Hamilton Avenue

Turn left onto SR 611

0.8 mi · 1 min · West 21st Street

Turn right onto SR 57

0.5 mi · 47 sec · Broadway

Turn left onto SR 57

2.3 mi · 3 min · East 28th Street

Turn right onto SR 57

1.5 mi · 2 min · Grove Avenue

Continue on SR 57

2.9 mi · 4 min · Lorain Boulevard

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn left onto SR 57; SR 113

6.6 mi · 9 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Parkway

Use the left lane.

Continue on SR 57

2.3 mi · 2 min · Grafton Road

Use the straight lane.

Continue on SR 57

2.0 mi · 2 min · Main Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on SR 57

1.5 mi · 1 min · Grafton Road

Turn right onto SR 57; SR 83

1.5 mi · 1 min · Avon Belden Road

Enter roundabout onto SR 83; SR 303

86 ft · 1 sec · Avon Belden Road

Continue on SR 83; SR 303

231 ft · 3 sec · Avon Belden Road

Enter roundabout onto SR 83

129 ft · 1 sec · Avon Belden Road

Continue on SR 83

2.5 mi · 2 min · Avon Belden Road

Continue on SR 83

2.2 mi · 2 min · Avon Lake Road

Enter roundabout onto SR 83

392 ft · 6 sec · Avon Lake Road

Continue on SR 83

8.9 mi · 10 min · Avon Lake Road

Continue on SR 83

0.5 mi · 1 min · Elyria Street

Continue on SR 83

0.9 mi · 1 min · Wooster Street

Continue on SR 83

2.0 mi · 2 min · Avon Lake Road

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 22 sec

Toward I 71 South: Columbus

Merge onto I 71

96 mi · 1 hr 45 min · I 71

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 71

13 mi · 14 min · I 71

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Exit 94 Toward US 62, SR 3: Harrisburg

Turn left onto US 62; SR 3

10.0 mi · 14 min · Harrisburg Pike

Use the straight lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 62; SR 3

0.4 mi · 41 sec · East Columbus Street

Turn right onto SR 56; SR 207

91 ft · 1 sec · South London Street

Arrive at destination

SR 56; SR 207

Trip Plan

For this 1-day trip, leaving in the morning is ideal to give you flexibility. With a drive time of just over 3 hours, you'll likely only need one brief stop for fuel or a quick break. The majority of your travel will be on I 71, so keep an eye on traffic conditions there. Since the longest stretch between exits is substantial, ensure you're topped up on fuel before you begin that 109-mile segment. The lower fuel cost of $31 means you won't need to worry excessively about budget on this leg.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 79.7 miles from Lorain, OH, or about 1h 37m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 109 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 35 miles or 46m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 79.7 miles or 1h 37m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 32m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mount Sterling, OH than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Lorain, OH so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Lorain, OH

This is one driving day of about 159.4 miles and 3h 8m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Lorain, OH.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on I 71 for about 109 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Huron County, Ohio, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Willard, OH

80 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Middleburg Heights, OH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Shelby, OH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 79.7 miles from Lorain, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

0.2 mi from route

Service Plaza

0.2 mi from route

Rest Area

0.3 mi from route

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 22.2 and 148.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

22.2 mi into trip | ~31m in | SR 83 / Avon Belden Road

Enter roundabout onto SR 83 / Avon Belden Road

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

26.9 mi into trip | ~37m in | SR 83 / Avon Lake Road

Enter roundabout onto SR 83 / Avon Lake Road

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

39.2 mi into trip | ~52m in

Take the exit toward I 71 South: Columbus

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward I 71 South: Columbus

136 mi into trip | ~2h 38m in | I 71

Keep slight right at fork onto I 71

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

148.5 mi into trip | ~2h 53m in

Take the exit toward US 62, SR 3: Harrisburg

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 94 Toward US 62, SR 3: Harrisburg

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$24.49 one way

$48.99 round trip

$3.90/gal 25.4 MPG avg 56 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.40	$27.63	$55.25
premium	$4.99	$31.30	$62.59
diesel	$4.80	$30.10	$60.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$24

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$49–$74

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 55.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	47.8	$16.74	$7.65
Efficient EV	39.9	$13.95	$6.38
EV Truck/SUV	63.8	$22.32	$10.20

Gas CO2

56 kg

EV CO2

19 kg (66% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Jul 19, 2026

Origin

Lorain, OH

Morning in Lorain on Monday

Local time

7:39 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Patchy Smoke

N 9 to 14 mph 35% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 9:55PM EDT until July 19 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 9:55PM EDT until July 19 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH

Destination

Mount Sterling, OH

Morning in Mount Sterling on Monday

Local time

7:39 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Mostly Cloudy

NW 8 mph 10% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 9:55PM EDT until July 19 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 9:55PM EDT until July 19 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

1 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 8m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

National Park

Though a short distance from the urban areas of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park seems worlds away. The park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides routes of discov...

24 mi from route ~59 min detour Free near mile 22

Caution: Vehicle Break-in and Theft Warning

View on nps.gov

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Nearly 2000 years ago, Native Americans built dozens of monumental mounds and earthen enclosures in southern Ohio. These earthwork complexes were ceremonial landscapes used for feasts, funerals, ritua...

30 mi from route ~74 min detour Free near mile 159.4

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is predominantly highway, with 73% of it on major interstates. You'll experience a longest stretch of 109 miles on I 71, which means plenty of consistent cruising. After that long highway segment, you'll transition to surface roads like Avon Lake Road and Harrisburg Pike. Expect the exits to become more frequent as you get closer to your destination on these final stretches.

73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 109 mi on I 71.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and Avon Lake Road. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 22.2 miles in near SR 83 / Avon Belden Road.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 159.4 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 22.2 miles (SR 83 / Avon Belden Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 26.9 miles (SR 83 / Avon Lake Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 39.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,264 ft 608 ft

Total Climb

1,034 ft

Total Descent

741 ft

Highest Point

1,264 ft

~68.3 mi in

Elevation Range

656 ft

Detours Along the Way

Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.

Cafe

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 1.8 mi from route ~4 min detour

Columbus, OH

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Visit website

Starbucks

Cafe

Near the start, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour

Restaurant

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour

Lorain, OH

Cuisine: puerto_rican

Selenti's Pizza

Fast_food

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

Campana's International Cafe

Restaurant

Near the start, right off the route

0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Cuisine: pizza;italian

Royal Oaks

Visit website

Motel 6 Amherst, OH - Cleveland West - Lorain

Motel

Near the start, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour

Amherst, OH

Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.

About the Cities

Starting in Lorain, OH

Full guide →

Founded 1807

Lorain is a city of 64,000 people (2019) 30 miles west of Cleveland in Northeast Ohio. A former industrial center for shipbuilding, auto manufacturing, and steel, like other Rust Belt cities, the city faces population decline and urban decay.

Top landmarks

• Lorain West Breakwater Light — lighthouse in Ohio, United States
• Lorain Palace Theatre — theater and former movie theater in Lorain, Ohio, United States

Arriving in Mount Sterling, OH

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 8m. Total distance: 159.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 109 miles on I 71. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 15 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Mount Sterling, OH before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 15 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Mount Sterling, OH, but most travelers stay overnight.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Trip from Lorain, OH to Mount Sterling, OH

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-71

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Rest Area

Rest Area

Lee M. Rizor Memorial Highway Rest Area

Pilot Travel Center

Rest Area

Lee M. Rizor Memorial Highway Rest Area

Service Plaza

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Flying J Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Service Plaza

Rest Area

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Lorain, OH

Mount Sterling, OH

Same local time

1 degrees warmer at arrival

3h 8m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Detours Along the Way

La Casa Del Mofongo

Broadway Mary's

Fresco Bistro

Magdalen's

Starbucks

Starbucks

Five Alarm PizzA

Domino's

Yappy Greek

El Keffon Grand Buffet

Selenti's Pizza

Campana's International Cafe

Royal Oaks

Elmwood Park

Lincoln Park

Dragon with Toothbrush

Overlook Deck

Mount Sterling Historic District

Le Poilu

Memorial Wall

Worthington Doll Museum

Hobbie's Dilemma

Venus Redux

Ariel Broadway Hotel

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Columbus North

Motel 6 Columbus North/Polaris

M-Star Columbus North

Days Inn by Wyndham Amherst

Motel 6 Amherst, OH - Cleveland West - Lorain

About the Cities

Starting in Lorain, OH

Arriving in Mount Sterling, OH

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?